The Colors of Creativity - with

Donna Antonucci’s life is easily as colorful and whimsical as any of the ethereal creatures she depicts. Today we feature her celestial art, as we conduct a meet and greet with this ebullient artist.

Midnight Moonlight Fairy

Donna, I absolutely adore your signature hair, which brilliantly mirrors your art. When did your current multi-colored palette become your coiff of choice?

Thank you Queen Siren. I have had it for maybe 3 years or so?? I have a fab stylist, Krista Inzinga. She is on Facebook too. She is very talented.

I have had always wanted to add purple, and another hairdresser tried quite some time ago, but it was not a good look at all!! But Krista got it right!!

I've seen you as Edwina Scissorhands, Elvira, a pirate... and so much more... Which of your many personas describes you best? Or are you a bit of each?

Oh I love dressing up for Halloween so much! I have also done a Marie Antoinette, Cleopatra, Fairies... lol. I guess I am a little of everything ..I wish I could dress up everyday! I am not that adventurous, so maybe this satisfies that, to some degree. I wish I was a rock star so I could really dress over the top all the time!! lol... I guess I am a bit of a dreamer...I hate reality I really do!

You have a very distinct style. What inspires you in the way of subject matter?

What inspires me? So many things!! Nature, with a twist most times... especially animals. I love animals so much. They bring me great joy. My kitty Millie is the love of my life besides the husband. The little chipmunk who has gotten brave and takes peanuts from me gives me the biggest cheap thrill... to the Mama and fawns who visit my yard everyday. I love to pick dried up flowers and pods, and see the beauty in the dead ones. I Love dried poppy pods and dead ferns! lol...

My collection of Gothic Dolls also inspires my creativity... I love to make props for them and Halloween inspires me too, the whimsical, fun silly side... not the gory, gross or scary. I HATE Zombies but LOVE Vampires and I have never seen one Twilight movie lol. The older I get the more I like the dark side of things. I have an overactive imagination which is not necessarily a good thing sometimes. All of this and more has a place somehow, somewhere in my work!

Have you always focused on 'fantasy'? And if not, what sorts of things have you drawn over the years since you first found you had a gift for art?

I have always drawn since I was a small child. My mom used to just give me paper and whatever and I would sit and draw for hours. I always loved fanciful things and drawing animals, and I liked to do mixed media even then. I still have many of my drawings. One fave of mine was a porcupine I drew when I was maybe 7 or 8?? I cut up an old bristle brush and glued the pieces on the paper for his quills.

I discovered Fantasy art when I was about 12 while in a bookstore. I discovered the most wonderful Fantasy artist named Brian Froud and I saved up my own money and bought my first art book, The World of Froud. That poor book is falling apart now, but it introduced me to the realm of Fae and I was hooked... and greatly inspired.

I took art for 3 years in high school and won many awards for my fantasy art. Some of my paintings went to NYC for national competitions. I Love painting animals from domestic to wildlife. I often make my animals into fairy animals of course because everyone should have a pair of wings!

Are there any projects on the back burner you can tell us about?

Well not really. I have old WIPs (Works In Progress) I would love to finish and things I want to make for my dolls lol. I would love to get some things for Halloween and I need to work on costumes! I will share I have a few health issues that keeps me from painting, creating as much as I want. So it takes me longer then usual to get things done... and I'm a Queen Procrastinator!

Here's my favorite question to get to know someone... one that speaks volumes... What are your 3 favorite movies?

Oh that is tough. I love so many from really old to new... newer I should say. I really don’t see a lot of new movies. Some like it Hot, The Princess Bride, Raiders - the first one, Legend, Planes Trains and Automobiles..lol ok so thats five... Way too many — I really love old movies from the 30's and 40's.

Last, if you could live in the realm of one of your works, which would it be?

I think it would be my Daydreamer painting. A beautiful fairy sleeps upon a lush green spot in the woodlands... She fell asleep while reading a fairytale and she is dreaming of her prince who takes her away on a pegasus. I love my yard so much in the Springtime/Summer when it is so green and looks so inviting, and all the deer come with their fawns and the chipmunk. This year I got him to trust me enough that he comes up and lets me give him peanuts...

Visit Donna’s enchanting world on Facebook. You may never want to leave.